The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-22
1t will be seen that for the twenty

1876 io9 .01 CS 1OS 81 50 034 80 06S 009 =
1870 j5, "a 22 1854 I'D so 81 OIL LIS u J. l4o. 53
1854. 5G2,W 2S 80, 3S6C 81 4G ~ l, 1885 IA
1t will be seen that for the twenty
years succeeding 1869 the Republican
vote showed IN uninterrupted growth.
This growth WAS naturally less in
1864. because of the war. than in 1868.
and was again less in 1872 than in 1868,
because. after the October elections of
the former year had insured Greeley S
overwhelming defeat, the Republicans
were under no necessity of polling a
full vote in Noremb Der. But aside from
the two exceptional contests of 1864
and 1872, it is obvious that the Repub-
lcan vote in these FIVE States was in
creasing at the rate of more than 100,
600 every four years. the growth from
1872 to 1876 being 107, Isl. and from
1876 to 1880, 13O.7O7. Each State
showed a remarkable steadiness in
growth. New York increased her Re-
publican vote from 1872 to 1876 by 49,
469. and from 1876 to 1880 by &c, 337;
Indiana. by 81. 1854 in the first period
and "a, 153 in the second; New Jersey,
by 11.S61 and 1908; Connecticut, by
1896 and S.031; and Massachusetts, by
16. 591 and 15,142.
Beginning with the campaign which
resulted in Lincoln's election. down to
and including that in which Garfield
was the successful nominee, the Re
publican party had appealed to the
country with honest candidates upon
Il pla form of sound principles. The
result was steady and rapid growth
in its numbers, averaging from ten to
fifteen per cent. every four years in
States like those we have cited, where
large proportion of the voters are
not held fast by party bonds. If the
campaign of 1884 had been made upon
the same basis rs previous ones, The
Republican vote might have shown Il
marked gain in each of these States
and aggregated ut least 1850, coo.
But new policy was adopted. A
tainted candidate was selected who, it
was known and conceded. would re-
pei many.old voters who had supported
Lincoln, Grant. Hayes and Garfield, as
well rs many young voters whose edu-
cation and environment inclined
them to support Republican nominee
of the old type; but who. it was
claimed, could poll a vast number of
votes drawn from the most ignorant
and fantastic elements of the Democrat
ic party. He did draw those votes. His
friends assert, and his opponents do
not question, that he received 10000
Irish Democratic votes in New York
City and many thousands more in
Brooklyn and other large cities of this
State, not to speak of many thousands
more in New Jersey, Connecticut,
Massachusetts and Indiana. But where
did the gain of these tens of thousands
of Democratic votes, which Garfield
had not secured. put Blaine? In New
York State Garfield had polled &c. 337
votes more than Hayes. and secured
21,OS3 plurality; Blaine pOlled only
6. 457 more than Garfield, and was
beaten by 1.047 plurality. In Indiana
Garfield had polled "a, 153 votes more
than Hayes. and secured 6. 642 plurality.
Blaine polled only 6,299 more than
and was beaten by 6,527
plurality. In New Jersey Garfield
had polled 1908 votes more than
Hayes. and reduced the Democratic
plurality to only 2,010; Blaine polled
only 2,811 more than Garfield. and
allowed the Democratic plurality to
rise to 4.4l2 In Connecticut Garfield
had polled S,037 votes more than
Hayes. and secured 1855 plurality;
Blaine reduced the Republican vote
from 67,071 to 60, 923, and was beaten
by 1876 plurality. In Massachusetts
Garfield had polled 1912 votes more
than Hayes, and secured 80, 245 plural
ity, with clear majority over all of
49, 1913; Blaine reduced the Republican
vote from l65, 20j to us, 724, and had
only 24,373 plurality, while he fell
D. 34 short of any majority at all. !
Thus in three of the five States Blaine |
had gained only 4 trifle over Garfield.
and in the other two had actually lost. |
SO that the aggregate Republican vote
in them, which normal growth should |
have carried up to at least 1885, 900 |
in 1884. was only 1.136. All. against l.
40, 539 in 1880. Such figures rs these
lraw their own moral N T. EUening !
Post.